Imphal, Jan 24 : Manipur
chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and deputy chief minister Gaikha-ngam
today offered to hold talks with the Kuki State Demand Committee and
urged it to reconsider its decision to resume the public blockade in
Kuki-inhabited areas from tomorrow.

The committee had on Monday announced the
resumption of its public blockade from 5pm of January 24 and asked all
government establishments to withdraw from Kuki areas. It suspended the
blockade on December 14 after the Union home ministry promised to hold
talks on the demand for a Kuki state. The blockade began on November 17.

“The demand committee should come forward
and talk about their grievances. We can settle issues through dialogue,”
Ibobi Singh told reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural function
of a three-day tribal cultural festival here today.

The chief minister appealed to the committee to reconsider resumption of the blockade.

Making a similar appeal, Gaikhangam, who
also attended the programme, said the home ministry had initiated talks
with Kuki militant groups to settle the issue and if any organisation
had grievances, they could talk to the Centre and place their demands.

The committee also announced the boycott
of Republic Day celebrations to mark “severance of ties with India and
the Manipur government”.

A home ministry team had visited Imphal
last month and held talks with leaders of Kuki National Organisation
(KNO) and United Peoples Front (UPF) on the suspension of operations
agreement.

“The culture of strikes and blockades does
not bring any good. We hope the committee will not resort to any form
of violence and impose strike and blockades,” Gaikhangam said.

Manipur is a very small state and no
community should make attempts to divide it, he said.

Responding to a
question, Gaikhangam said if anyone resorted to violence, they would be
dealt with according to law.

The three-day cultural festival organised
by the Tribal Research Institute, Imphal, is an attempt to unite all
communities divided by politics.

The festival also gave an opportunity to
both the chief minister and deputy chief minister to remind all
communities living in the state that they were Manipuris. “We are all
Manipuris and let us pray and work for ushering in peace, progress and
communal harmony in the New Year,” Ibobi Singh said.

Nearly 40 communities are taking part in
the festival, where cultural troupes presented songs and dances on the
opening day. The remaining two days will see more performances of folk
songs and dances. At the end of each day’s programme, delegates will
enjoy a grand feast together.

“The festival could not have come at a
better time as such a forum could help in bringing better understanding
and unity among different communities,” Gaikhangam said.